Chapter 2

I forced my breathing to steady and searched for the flaw in what she had shown me.

"No. Even with that footage, he wouldn't have stopped coming to see me."

The smile returned to Murphy's face.

"Oh, he did come."

"But one visit was all it took to make him hate seeing you even more."

She rocked another crystal between her fingers.

It showed Cyril Bennett, Maeve's adopted son.

In the altered memory, Cyril lifted me into bed, smoothed back my hair, and pressed a gentle kiss to my forehead.

But Cyril would never do that to me...

"I paid a mage to replace Maeve with Cyril."

"I have plenty more footage like this."

As she left, Murphy glanced back at me.

"Jennifer, don't blame me. I loved Ethan first." Back then, of course, Ethan hadn't yet become the pack's Alpha.

"Your bond wasn't as strong as I thought."

"I barely had to try. A few small lies, and your mate bond shattered."

Maeve's voice pulled me out of my memories.

"This medicine is for the pain. It will keep you alive for seven days after you take it, but on the eighth day, you'll die."

I looked at this vial I had never seen before and knew Maeve had put a great deal of effort into it.

"Thank you, Maeve."

"The ingredients are precious. Guard it carefully. Go, child. Begin your journey."

I had already booked my ticket to the Frostveil Tundra. I wanted to make the final stop on my list by myself.

Wind stirred the chimes in Maeve's cabin. One bright, clear note rang out, followed by a warm male voice.

"Jennifer, I'll go with you." It was Cyril.

Seeing my silence, Maeve spoke up.

"Jennifer, I know you want to see the northern lights, but your body is too weak."

"Let Cyril go with you."

I nodded. Maeve watched us walk away, hesitated, and finally called out.

"Jennifer, are you sure you won't... hold on a little longer?"

"I've made it through five years already." The medication couldn't cure the wolfsbane, but it kept me alive. The poison and the medicine clashed violently inside my body, and the pain and weakness were side effects.

"I don't need more time."

As I stepped out of Maeve's cabin, I saw Ethan waiting outside.

His coat was damp with dew. There was no telling how long he had been standing there.

"Finally decided to come out?"

"I'm here to take you home."

The back seat had been lined with soft, clean sheepskin, and the air carried the soothing scent of lavender.

He still remembered the fragrance I loved.

Ethan had always been meticulous that way.

I wanted to explain things to him, to clear up the misunderstanding between us.

"Ethan, I told you, Jennifer's getting better."

"As long as she takes her medicine, the wolfsbane won't put her in immediate danger."

Murphy's voice came through Ethan's phone.

So they had been on a call this entire time.

"Ethan, come back and stay with me, okay?"

"I miss you so much." Murphy's voice was sickeningly sweet.

I pulled my duffel bag from behind me and clutched the strap to my chest, squeezing it tight, as if it could give me some small sense of security.

He stared at the bag in my hands. His voice rumbled low, like thunder trapped behind clouds.

"Where are you going?"

"Your clothes are washed and waiting at home. You don't need to pack so much."

I didn't want to talk to him. I turned and flagged down a cab.

But Ethan caught my wrist. The force of his pull triggered the poison inside me.

My abdomen seized, and the sharp pain forced cold sweat from my temples.

"Are you going to find Cyril?"

"You're barely feeling better and you can't wait to run off with him?"

I opened my mouth, but every explanation crowded my throat. There was nothing between Cyril and me. Murphy had lied about all of it.

Then a shrill scream came through Ethan's phone.

Murphy's voice rang out from the speaker.

"Ethan, there's blood. So much blood. I'm hurt. Come help me."

Ethan released my wrist and soothed Murphy in a gentle murmur.

In that instant, every ounce of strength drained from my body.

He gave all his patience and trust to Murphy, who had built our ruin out of lies.

What was left to explain?

Ethan dropped the phone and sped away. After the sound of his car faded, Murphy's lazy voice came through the abandoned call.

"He prepared your favorite dessert while waiting for you to come home. He warmed a blanket and washed your favorite navy nightgown. But right now, that nightgown is on..."